Statue of Christopher Columbus (Saint Paul, Minnesota) facts for kids
A large bronze statue of Christopher Columbus was placed at the Minnesota State Capitol in Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1931. This 10-foot tall statue was made by an Italian American artist named Carlo Brioschi.
In June 2020, people from the American Indian Movement took down the statue. This happened during protests that followed the death of George Floyd.
Quick facts for kids Statue of Christopher Columbus |
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| Artist | Charles Brioschi |
| Completion date | 1931 |
| Subject | Christopher Columbus |
| Dimensions | 3.0 m (10 ft) |
| Condition | Removed June 10, 2020 |
| Location | Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S. |
| 44°57′15.9″N 93°6′3.5″W / 44.954417°N 93.100972°W | |
Contents
History of the Statue
Why Was the Statue Built?
The idea for a statue of Christopher Columbus in Minnesota first came up in 1927. Italian-American groups in places like Duluth and Hibbing supported the idea. They formed a group called the Christopher Columbus Memorial Association. This group collected money from Italian-Americans to build the statue.
The statue was also meant to help fight against unfair treatment of Italian Americans. Many people from Northern Europe had settled in the area earlier. They sometimes saw Italian Americans as outsiders.
The 10-foot bronze statue was made by a sculptor named Charles "Carlo" Brioschi. He had help from Leo Lentelli. The statue was placed on the grounds of the Minnesota State Capitol in Saint Paul. It was across from what is now the Minnesota Judicial Center.
Unveiling and Plaques
The statue was shown to the public on October 12, 1931. About 24,000 people were there for the event. The Governor of Minnesota, Floyd B. Olson, gave a speech. Other important people also attended.
That same year, Minnesota made Columbus Day an official state holiday. A message on the statue's first plaque said: "To Christopher Columbus, Discoverer of America." In 2015, a bill was proposed to change this to say Columbus "landed in America."
A second plaque was added in 1992. It said that Columbus started "the merging of the cultures of the old and new worlds." It claimed this changed "forever the course and history of mankind."
In 1991, the Italian-American Society gave money to help take care of the statue. It was cleaned and treated to make it look like "Roman bronze." In 1992, before a big anniversary, vandals put red paint on the statue. It had to be cleaned right away.
The Statue is Taken Down in 2020
After the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May 2020, protests spread across the country. Taking down statues became a part of these protests. By June 10, protesters in other cities had also taken down their Columbus statues.
Members of the American Indian Movement, led by Mike Forcia, announced they would take down the statue on June 10. Governor Tim Walz and other officials talked about these plans. They encouraged the protesters to follow a legal process instead.
State Patrol officers met with the protest organizers. They warned them about damaging public property. However, Forcia said they had waited too long. He explained they had tried official ways for years without success.
Members of the American Indian Movement and local residents gathered at the Capitol. This included people from the Dakota and Ojibwe communities. They put a rope around the statue and pulled it off its base. The group played drums, sang songs, and took pictures with the fallen statue.
State Patrol officers watched but did not stop them. No one was arrested at the event. Later, officers formed a line to protect the statue. It was then moved away from the Capitol grounds.
Michael Forcia was later charged with damaging property. He agreed to do 100 hours of community service. Officials said it would cost over $154,000 to fix the statue.
What Happened to the Statue?
The statue was not badly damaged when it fell. It was moved to a secret place. The Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board now has the statue. This board is in charge of deciding what happens to it next.
It is not known if the statue will be put back on the Capitol grounds. A member of the board, Paul Mandell, said they had no plan for removing statues. He also said that removing a statue would break a promise to the group that put it there.
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